The present invention relates to an energy converting apparatus and method for compressing a fluid such as gas using a compressor, and generating impulse waves from the compressed fluid while forcing the compressed fluid to pass through a nozzle, thereby achieving generation of energy. More particularly, the present invention relates to a high efficiency energy converting apparatus and method for driving a compressor by a drive force from a motor to compress a fluid, generating impulse waves from the compressed fluid while forcing the compressed fluid to pass through a nozzle specifically designed, converting kienetic energy of the comperssed fluid into heat energy, and utilizing the heat energy resulting from the impulse waves through a heat exchanger.
The present invention is appropriately applicable to boilers and air-conditioners. That is, the present invention is concerned with a high efficiency energy converting apparatus and method capable of achieving the manufacture of a fuel-free boiler or air-conditioner requiring no use of fuel other than the drive force of the motor for driving the compressor.
Conventional energy convertors in the form of, for example, boilers, are configured to burn fuel such as natural gas, light oil, kerosene, flaming coal, or anthracite, thereby utilizing heat generated during the burning of the fuel, or to convert electrical energy into heat energy. Among energy convertors developed heretofore, however, there is no one having a configuration capable of converting heat energy by use of impulse waves of a fluid.
The present invention is adapted to generate heat energy by use of impulse waves of compressed fluid without using any fuel other than the drive force of a motor. In accordance with the present invention, therefore, it is possible to generate a large amount of heat energy while using a reduced amount of electric power. It is also possible to completely avoid a variety of pollution occurring due to the burning of fuel. Thus, the present invention provides an epoch-making energy convertor. Since the energy convertor of the present invention makes it possible to obtain a large amount of heat energy by use of a small amount of electrical energy, it completely solves the problem in regard to exhaustion of natural fuel resources.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a high efficiency energy converting apparatus capable of generating heat energy without using any fuel other than the drive force of a motor adapted to drive a compressor, that is, electric power, thereby completely solving problems involved in conventional boilers in regard to the use of natural fuel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a high efficiency energy converting apparatus capable of generating heat energy without using any fuel other than electric power, thereby completely avoiding a variety of pollution occurring due to the burning of fuel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a high efficiency energy converting apparatus having a simple configuration capable of achieving an easy operation, being simply applicable, as it is, to boilers and/or air-conditioners for domestic use, industrial use and other purposes.
Another object of the invention is to provide a high efficiency energy converting method in which compressed fluid is forced to pass through a multi-stage Laval nozzle, so that kinetic energy of the compressed fluid is converted into heat energy.
In accordance with the present invention, a rotating movement, namely, rotating energy, from an electric motor is transmitted to a compressor which, in turn, converts the transmitted rotating energy into kinetic energy for a fluid, thereby compressing the fluid.
In the compressing process carried out by the compressor, the fluid, which may be air, is compressed in mass to have a maximum mass. The compressed fluid is discharged from an outlet of the compressor and then fed to a single or multi-stage Laval nozzle.
The compressed fluid then passes through the Laval nozzle while bearing kinetic energy (in a normal flow and isoentropic flow fashion). At this time, if a velocity of the compressed fluid from the Laval nozzle is over Mach 1.5, vertical impulse waves are generated from the fluid in accordance with flow characteristics of the fluid. By virtue of the generated impulse waves, heat energy is generated from the fluid. That is, the kinetic energy of the fluid is converted into heat energy. As the fluid emerges from the Laval nozzle, it increases in temperature and pressure while decreasing in flow rate.
Accordingly, the fluid transfers a certain amount of heat to water to be used for heating, cleaning, or other purposes, thereby heating the heating water. Hereinafter, the water to be used for heating, cleaning, or other purposes will be referred to as xe2x80x9cheating waterxe2x80x9d. The heated heating water is supplied to a target area to be heated. After conducting a heat exchange in the target area, the fluid is still maintained at a high temperature. This hot air is then supplied to the target area via a filter in order to enhance the heating efficiency.
Further, the compressed fluid (namely, air) from the compressor then passes through a single Laval nozzle while bearing kinetic energy (in a normal flow and isentropic flow fashion). At this time, if the velocity of the compressed fluid from the Laval nozzle is set from Mach 1.0 to 1.5, as the fluid emerges from the Laval nozzle, it expands abruptly in accordance with flow characteristics of the fluid, so that it decreases greatly in temperature and pressure while accelerating the flow rate. As a result, the fluid is maintained at a low temperature. This cold fluid is then forced to flow around a cooling conduit, through which a cooling water flows, so that it cools the cooling water. Thus, the fluid is used for cooling purposes.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, it is provided an energy converting apparatus comprising: a rotating force generator for generating a rotating force in accordance with electrical energy applied thereto; compression means for compressing the mass of a fluid to a maximum compression degree in accordance with said rotating force applied thereto, thereby converting rotating energy, corresponding to the rotating force, into kinetic energy of the fluid; and impulse wave converting means comprising one or more converging-diverging nozzles connected to one another in series, the impulse wave converting means serving to generate vertical impulse waves from the compressed fluid passing through the converging-diverging nozzles, thereby converting the kinetic energy of the fluid into heat energy.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, it is provided an energy converting method comprising the steps of: applying electrical energy to an electric motor, thereby generating a rotating force; applying the rotating force to a compressor to compress the mass of a fluid to a maxium compression degree, thereby converting rotating energy, corresponding to the rotating force, into kinetic energy of the fluid; and forcing the compressed fluid to pass through one or more converging-diverging nozzles, connected to one another in series, in a normal flow and isentropic flow fashion to generate vertical impulse waves from the compressed fluid, thereby converting the kinetic energy of the fluid into heat energy.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, it is provided an energy converting method comprising the steps of: applying electrical energy to an electric motor, thereby generating a rotating force; applying the rotating force to a compressor to compress the mass of a fluid to a maxium compression degree, thereby converting rotating energy, corresponding to the rotating force, into kinetic energy of the fluid; forcing the compressed fluid to pass through at least one converging-diverging nozzle in a normal flow and isentropic flow fashion to accelerate the velocity of the fluid while decreasing said fluid in temperature and pressure, thereby cooling the fluid; and conducting a heat exchange using the cooled fluid, thereby cooling a thermal transmission medium.
Each of the converging-diverging nozzles comprises a Laval nozzle having a first uniform diameter portion having the same diameter as that of an outlet of the compression means, a first taper portion extending from the first uniform diameter portion while having a gradually decreasing diameter, a second taper portion extending from the first taper portion while having a gradually increasing diameter, and a second uniform diameter portion extending from the second taper portion while having the same diameter as that of the outlet of the compression means.
The fluid is one selected from the group consisting of air, N2, Freon, and inert gas.
In accordance with the present invention in which the heating water is heated by virtue of flow characteristics of air compressed by a screw compressor, it is possible to obtain a high heat conversion efficiency corresponding to about 3.44 times that obtained in the conventional technique in which the heating water is directly heated using an electric heater.